High blood pressure stems from a variety of things. Your high blood pressure may be the result of poor dietary choices or heavy stress. It could also be the root of bigger problems, such as heart attacks and hypertension. When we look at the facts about high blood pressure, these all seem to be true.
Whatever the cause or effect might be in your case, there is no question that high blood pressure is a very serious condition that deserves some form of attention. While blood pressure medication can be helpful in many cases, there are typically negative side effects that go along with it. If you’re looking for a more natural remedy, hot tubs should be your main consideration.
Hot tubs and high blood pressure go together like peanut butter and jelly. With a number of high blood pressure health benefits they are one of the best forms of alternative blood pressure therapy and at the top of the list for hot tub health benefits.
ARE HOT TUBS SAFE FOR THOSE WITH HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE?
There are many old wives tales that say people with high blood pressure should never spend time soaking in hot tubs. Luckily, new scientific evidence is proving these tales to be false.
In a recent study by the Cardiovascular Risk Factor Reduction Unit at the University of Saskatchewan, high-blood pressure patients sat in a hot tub for 10 minutes without any sort of adverse effects.
Twenty-one patients spent 10 minutes soaking in a 104-degree hot tub, and their symptoms were checked after, including blood pressure and heart rate.While many of them experienced an increase in heart rate, all of them experience lower blood pressure.
HOT TUB HEALTH BENEFITS FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
Because hot tubs typically operate between 96 and 104-degrees Fahrenheit, they help to raise the skin and core temperatures of the body by a single degree. Though it may not seem like a large jump, it helps the body in what we call passive heating. Essentially, you are raising the temperature of the body without engaging in any sort of physical activity.
This increased body temperature will mimic the effects of mild exercise, as your heart rate increases along with the temperature. For those who struggle with mobility or obesity issues, passive heating can work wonders. Passive heating also increases the amount of nitric oxide in the body, which helps to dilate the blood vessels and circulate blood more efficiently. In all, it decreases your blood pressure.
“Having high blood pressure as a father of three has always been very difficult. My family is constantly worried about my well-being. Any moment could be a fatal one. For me, having a hot tub helps calm everyone’s nerves and makes me feel more at peace with my condition.”
TIPS FOR THE TUB
While we now know that it is safe to use a hot tub if you are struggling with high blood pressure, there are a few necessary tips to follow alongside your normal hot tub use:
Never use a hot tub if your high blood pressure is extreme. For those who have blood pressure higher than 180, immediate medical help is necessary.
If your doctor has spoken with you about avoiding exercise, we would recommend checking with them before using a hot tub. Because the effects of a hot tub resemble those of moderate exercise, it may be too taxing for your system to engage in.
Never use a hot tub for more than 20 minutes. We recommend keeping your sessions somewhere between 10 and 15 minutes to be safe.
Make sure always to avoid temperatures that are over 104-degrees Fahrenheit. Many newer hot tub models won’t go above this temperature, so you may not have to worry about it too much unless you are sitting in an older tub.
Never drink alcohol before or while you are sitting in the hot tub.
Never move between cold and hot water, such as running from the pool to the hot tub. Quick swings in body temperature may actually increase your blood pressure, which can be very hard on your internal system.
Try to be in the hot tub with someone else if you can. That way, if anything bad were to happen, you’d have someone there to help. Remember, the risks of any activity are great with high blood pressure. Having a safety net is very important.
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FAQ
WATER TEMPERATURE FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
Like we said before, most hot tubs hover between 96-degrees and 104-degrees Fahrenheit. Newer tubs won’t extend beyond the 104-degree range for safety concerns. We recommend starting somewhere around 98-degrees. If you feel comfortable increasing the temperature at that point, go ahead and do so. The most important thing is to never go beyond the scope of what you feel comfortable with.
DO HOT TUBS LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE?
A lengthy hot tub soak can help your blood vessels to dilate slightly, which can lower your blood pressure overall. According to researchers at the Cleveland Clinic, it is not recommended for patients with high blood pressure to move between cold and warm water, as this can shock the body. With that said, the link between blood vessel dilation in hot tubs and relief from high blood pressure is very apparent.
Of course, we always recommend having a healthy diet, exercising often, and consulting your physician before you ever try to engage in self-therapy, as you don’t want to make the wrong move for your personal case.
CAN I MIX MY HOT TUB TIME WITH MY BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICATION?
Because everyone is different and different medications interact differently with certain people, we cannot recommend you do or do not mix these two things. Of course, we’re not medical professionals, and we would not want to provide you with bad advice.
However, we do know that diuretics are commonly prescribed to high blood pressure patients, and that medication is known to cause a loss of salt and fluids. If you are spending time in a hot tub, you are already losing bodily fluid thanks to the heat. Doubling up on fluid loss may lead to dehydration. We recommend checking with your doctor or other medical professionals to see if that kind of heat is safe to mix with your current medication.
NEXT STEPS
If you’ve been struggling with high blood pressure for many years, your next step should be purchasing a good hot tub!
When you have the ability to come home after work and unwind in the hot tub, you’ll be happy in knowing that you are receiving the physical and spiritual benefits of warm water hydrotherapy.
Hydrotherapy has been known to lower blood pressure, and combining the benefits of hydromassage and warm water immersion creates a wondrous, effect.
Beyond the high blood pressure benefits that we’ve discussed in this article, hot tubs can have many other benefits as well, such as weight loss, inflammation reduction, and more!
If you are ready to help your body out, it is time to get out and get yourself a great hot tub.
If you have Medicare, read our will Medicare pay for a hot tub article to see if your high blood pressure condition would qualify you for a free hot tub with Medicare.
Your best bet when shopping for a hot tub is to compare top brands to find the lowest prices, to do so, click the button below.
About The Author
Meredith Kiley
Full-time staff writer at wyllz.com and stay-at-home mom.